A cybercrime ring targeting female students through Telegram groups has been busted, with five members arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
The group used Telegram to target school, college and university students. They would tactfully obtain victims’ private photos and videos and then blackmail them.
RAB’s Director of the Legal and Media Wing, Intekhab Chowdhury, shared the details on Monday at the RAB Media Centre in Karwan Bazar.
The arrested individuals are Merajur Rahman Arman, Billal Hossain Ontor, Robi Alam Momin, Al Amin Islam and Hasib.
He said that in recent days, various newspapers had reported on the darker side of Telegram, including incidents of cyber blackmail. Following this, RAB investigations uncovered an organized cybercrime network. The group had been collecting, storing and commercially selling private images and videos of female students across Bangladesh.
The syndicate primarily operated through Telegram, using private channels to distribute explicit images and videos in exchange for money.
He further said that the group targeted female students by hacking Facebook accounts or personal devices, collecting images from former boyfriends after break-ups, or obtaining private content through personal conflicts. These materials were then used for blackmail or sold commercially.
To bring those involved to justice, RAB intensified intelligence surveillance. Later, a team from RAB-8 conducted raids in different areas of Bhola district and arrested the suspects.